1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device segregating apparatus, and more specifically, to semiconductor device segregating apparatus capable of segregating a large number of semiconductor devices in a fast and efficient manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
After the packaging process, singulation machines are commonly equipped with an off-loading apparatus for loading electronic packages into a tube, then the tube is transported to the inspection station for detecting the damaged electronic packages in order to assure quality.
As shown in FIG. 1, a tube 102 is mounted at an inclined angle so that electronic packages that have been fed into the tube 102 can slide under gravity one by one into a receptacle 112 installed in the lower end. The receptacle 112 is employed for storing the electronic packages after an inspection process is completed in an inspection zone 110. The electronic packages slide through a feed zone 104, then a separating device 108 including two pneumatic pistons 108a and 108b engages and stops each of the electronic packages. The area where the electronic packages are stopped is referred to as the holding zone 106. A plurality of electronic packages 103 (hereinafter referred to as DUT) is held in this area prior to entering the inspection zone 110.
After being horizontally inserted into the feed zone 104, the left end of the tube 102 is elevated in order to facilitate movement (e.g. sliding down) of the DUTs 103 under the pull of gravity. As shown in FIG. 2A, the DUT 103a nearest to the inspection zone 110 is engaged in the holding zone 106 by a stop 108a (hereinafter referred to as the first pneumatic piston), and consequently a sequence of DUTs is stopped in the holding zone 106. Then DUT 103b that is near DUT 103a is engaged by the other pneumatic piston 108b (hereinafter referred to as the second pneumatic piston), as shown in FIG. 2B. Finally, the first pneumatic piston 108a is drawn back resulting in the DUT 103a sliding to the inspection zone 110 under gravity. Similarly, other DUTs stopped in the holding zone 106 can slide to the inspection zone 110 one by one through repetition of the steps mentioned hereinbefore.
A number of improvements can be made to the separating device 108 shown in FIG. 1. For example, because excess sealing material 101 (shown in FIG. 3) causes the DUTs 103 to link together during the sealing process, they cannot be separated by the separating device 108, thereby jamming the holding zone 106; hence the equipment must be shut down to remove the linked DUTs, and time is wasted. In addition to the time of troubleshooting, multiple pneumatic pistons 108 require significant capital investment, a large working space, and especially extra time for separation of the DUTs 103. Accordingly, if the troubleshooting process can be eliminated, and if the working space and separating time can be reduced, costs associated with separating electronic packages can be decreased significantly.